Isolation of Sars-CoV-2 Virus
Dear Department of Health,
Can you please provide me with the documents held within the Department of Health that show the evidence of the isolation of the SARS-Cov-2 virus. To eliminate the possibility of contamination, I ask that these documents show the virus has been isolated from only the sample of a symptomatic patient of COVID 19, where it was not first combined with any other source of genetic material (not limited to but by way of example; monkey kidney cells/vero cells or liver cancer cells.)
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
Dear Allyson van de Pol,
Your email dated 29 July 2021 is received.
To help us understand clearly the information you are seeking, grateful if
you would provide more specific details of the information requested.
Thank you.
Regards,
Ms Sophy KWOK
EO(Per)3
Tel: 3107 2593
----- Forwarded by Sophy KK KWOK/DH/HKSARG on 30/07/2021 19:03 -----
From: Allyson van de Pol <[FOI #702 email]>
To: FOI requests at Department of Health <[Department of Health request email]>
Date: 29/07/2021 18:50
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Isolation of Sars-CoV-2
Virus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Department of Health,
Can you please provide me with the documents held within the Department of
Health that show the evidence of the isolation of the SARS-Cov-2 virus. To
eliminate the possibility of contamination, I ask that these documents
show the virus has been isolated from only the sample of a symptomatic
patient of COVID 19, where it was not first combined with any other source
of genetic material (not limited to but by way of example; monkey kidney
cells/vero cells or liver cancer cells.)
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #702 email]
Is [Department of Health request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests
to Department of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
[1]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[2]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
2. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
Dear Department of Health,
I replied before what specific part of my original question you didn't understand?
I would like documented proof of the isolation of the SARS CoV-2 virus.
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
Dear Allyson van de Pol,
Your application for access to information dated 29.7.2021 and
clarification email dated 4.8.2021 were received.
Your application is now being processed. According to paragraph 1.16 of
the Code on Access to Information, our department will inform you of the
latest progress of the case separately on or before 18.8.2021. Please
contact me at 3107 2593 if you have any enquiry.
(Ms Sophy KWOK)
for Director of Health
___________________________________
Disclaimer : This e-mail message (together with any attachments) is for
the designated recipient only. It may contain information that is
privileged for the designated recipient. If you are not the intended
recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, retention, disclosure,
copying, printing, forwarding or dissemination of the message is strictly
prohibited. If you have received the message in error, please erase all
copies of the message (including attachments) from you system and notify
the sender immediately.
From: Allyson van de Pol <[FOI #702 email]>
To: FOI requests at Department of Health <[Department of Health request email]>
Date: 29/07/2021 18:50
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Isolation of Sars-CoV-2
Virus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Department of Health,
Can you please provide me with the documents held within the Department of
Health that show the evidence of the isolation of the SARS-Cov-2 virus. To
eliminate the possibility of contamination, I ask that these documents
show the virus has been isolated from only the sample of a symptomatic
patient of COVID 19, where it was not first combined with any other source
of genetic material (not limited to but by way of example; monkey kidney
cells/vero cells or liver cancer cells.)
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #702 email]
Is [Department of Health request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests
to Department of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
[1]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[2]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
2. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
Dear Allyson van de Pol,
Thank you for your application dated 29.7.2021 seeking access to
information relating to Isolation of Sars-CoV-2 Virus.
I regret to inform you that the requested information is not available in
our possession as isolation of SARS-CoV-2 virus is not currently
performed. Your application therefore cannot be processed. If we can be of
any assistance in the provision of other information in the future, please
do not hesitate to contact us again.
Yours sincerely,
(LUEY Kit-yee)
for Director of Health
From: Sophy KK KWOK/DH/HKSARG
To: Allyson van de Pol <[FOI #702 email]>
Date: 06/08/2021 17:21
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - Isolation of
Sars-CoV-2 Virus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Allyson van de Pol,
Your application for access to information dated 29.7.2021 and
clarification email dated 4.8.2021 were received.
Your application is now being processed. According to paragraph 1.16 of
the Code on Access to Information, our department will inform you of the
latest progress of the case separately on or before 18.8.2021. Please
contact me at 3107 2593 if you have any enquiry.
(Ms Sophy KWOK)
for Director of Health
___________________________________
Disclaimer : This e-mail message (together with any attachments) is for
the designated recipient only. It may contain information that is
privileged for the designated recipient. If you are not the intended
recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, retention, disclosure,
copying, printing, forwarding or dissemination of the message is strictly
prohibited. If you have received the message in error, please erase all
copies of the message (including attachments) from you system and notify
the sender immediately.
From: Allyson van de Pol <[FOI #702 email]>
To: FOI requests at Department of Health <[Department of Health request email]>
Date: 29/07/2021 18:50
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Isolation of Sars-CoV-2
Virus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Department of Health,
Can you please provide me with the documents held within the Department of
Health that show the evidence of the isolation of the SARS-Cov-2 virus. To
eliminate the possibility of contamination, I ask that these documents
show the virus has been isolated from only the sample of a symptomatic
patient of COVID 19, where it was not first combined with any other source
of genetic material (not limited to but by way of example; monkey kidney
cells/vero cells or liver cancer cells.)
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #702 email]
Is [Department of Health request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests
to Department of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
[1]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[2]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
2. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
Dear Department of Health,
Thanks very much for your reply.
To your knowledge, has the isolation of SARS-CoV-2 been undertaken anywhere in the world thus far (not just in Hong Kong) that your department has seen documented evidence of?
Many thanks
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
Dear Department of Health,
Thanks very much for your reply.
To your knowledge, have you seen documented evidence of the isolation of SARS-CoV-2 anywhere in the world?
Thanks again for your help,
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
Dear Allyson van de Pol,
Thank you for your follow up question on 11/8/2021 and 17/8/2021. Please
find our reply as below:
From the public domain, we aware that some institutions do perform
isolation of SARS-CoV-2 (such as US CDC,
[1]https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nco...).
Yet we do not have connection with them and therefore could not provide
further details.
Yours sincerely,
(LUEY Kit-yee)
for Director of Health
From: Allyson van de Pol <[FOI #702 email]>
To: FOI requests at Department of Health <[Department of Health request email]>
Date: 17/08/2021 14:47
Subject: Re:Freedom of Information request - Isolation of
Sars-CoV-2 Virus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Department of Health,
Thanks very much for your reply.
To your knowledge, have you seen documented evidence of the isolation of
SARS-CoV-2 anywhere in the world?
Thanks again for your help,
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
-----Original Message-----
Dear Allyson van de Pol,
Thank you for your application dated 29.7.2021 seeking access to
information relating to Isolation of Sars-CoV-2 Virus.
I regret to inform you that the requested information is not available in
our possession as isolation of SARS-CoV-2 virus is not currently
performed. Your application therefore cannot be processed. If we can be of
any assistance in the provision of other information in the future, please
do not hesitate to contact us again.
Yours sincerely,
(LUEY Kit-yee)
for Director of Health
From: Sophy KK KWOK/DH/HKSARG
To: Allyson van de Pol <[FOI #702 email]>
Date: 06/08/2021 17:21
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - Isolation of
Sars-CoV-2 Virus
Dear Department of Health,
Can you please provide me with the documents held within the Department of
Health that show the evidence of the isolation of the SARS-Cov-2 virus. To
eliminate the possibility of contamination, I ask that these documents
show the virus has been isolated from only the sample of a symptomatic
patient of COVID 19, where it was not first combined with any other source
of genetic material (not limited to but by way of example; monkey kidney
cells/vero cells or liver cancer cells.)
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #702 email]
Is [Department of Health request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
Information requests
to Department of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
[1][2]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[2][3]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1.
[4]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
2. [5]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #702 email]
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[6]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nco...
2. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
3. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
4. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
5. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
6. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
Dear Department of Health,
Thank you for your reply.
In the CDC document, fetal bovine serum and vero cells are used to 'isolate' the virus.
This is not isolation, as per my original question, other genetic material was added and does not qualify as a valid answer to my question.
To clarify, are there any isolation methods/ documents that you are aware of that do fit my description in my original question, conducted anywhere in the world?
Many thanks
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
Dear Allyson van de Pol,
Thank you for your email on 18/8/2021. Your feedback is noted and we have
no further supplementation.
Yours sincerely,
(LUEY Kit-yee)
for Director of Health
From: Allyson van de Pol <[FOI #702 email]>
To: FOI requests at Department of Health <[Department of Health request email]>
Date: 18/08/2021 12:52
Subject: Re: *Restricted: Fw: Re:Freedom of Information request -
Isolation of Sars-CoV-2 Virus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Department of Health,
Thank you for your reply.
In the CDC document, fetal bovine serum and vero cells are used to
'isolate' the virus.
This is not isolation, as per my original question, other genetic material
was added and does not qualify as a valid answer to my question.
To clarify, are there any isolation methods/ documents that you are aware
of that do fit my description in my original question, conducted anywhere
in the world?
Many thanks
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
-----Original Message-----
Dear Allyson van de Pol,
Thank you for your follow up question on 11/8/2021 and 17/8/2021. Please
find our reply as below:
From the public domain, we aware that some institutions do perform
isolation of SARS-CoV-2 (such as US CDC,
[1][1]https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nco...).
Yet we do not have connection with them and therefore could not provide
further details.
Yours sincerely,
(LUEY Kit-yee)
for Director of Health
From: Allyson van de Pol <[FOI #702 email]>
To: FOI requests at Department of Health <[Department of Health
request email]>
Date: 17/08/2021 14:47
Subject: Re:Freedom of Information request - Isolation of
Sars-CoV-2 Virus
This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #702 email]
Is [Department of Health request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
Information requests
to Department of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
[1][2][2]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[2][3][3]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1.
[4][4]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
2. [5][5]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #702 email]
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[6][6]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1.
[7]https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nco...
2.
[8]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
3. [9]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
4.
[10]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
5. [11]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
6. [12]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #702 email]
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[13]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nco...
2. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
3. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
4. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
5. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
6. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
7. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nco...
8. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
9. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
10. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
11. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
12. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
13. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
Dear Allyson van de Pol,
Thank you for your email on 18/8/2021. Sample pooling method is performed
in PHLSB for SARS-CoV-2 screening and surveillance, the specimens are
mainly collected from asymptomatic individuals but not from symptomatic
patients.
Yours sincerely,
(LUEY Kit-yee)
for Director of Health
From: Allyson van de Pol <[email address]>
To: FOI requests at Department of Health <[Department of Health request email]>
Date: 18/08/2021 12:20
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Cycle/
Cross Over Threshold for PCR Tests
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Department of Health,
Thank you, but this doesn't answer my question. Here it is again:
"May I then ask under what circumstances pool testing occurs? Under
certain
circumstances or randomly? Why are certain selected samples chosen and not
others?"
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
-----Original Message-----
Dear Allyson van de Pol,
Thank you for your follow up question on 12/8/2021.
In PHLSB, sample pooling was performed on specimens for SARS-CoV-2
screening and surveillance purpose.
Yours sincerely,
(LUEY Kit-yee)
for Director of Health
From: Allyson van de Pol <[FOI #692 email]>
To: FOI requests at Department of Health <[Department of Health
request email]>
Date: 12/08/2021 13:04
Subject: Re: *Restricted: Fw: Freedom of Information request -
RT-PCR Testing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Department of Health,
Many thanks for your reply.
May I then ask under what circumstances pool testing occurs? Under certain
circumstances or randomly? Why are certain selected samples chosen and not
others?
Many thanks
Yours faithfully,
Allyson van de Pol
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[email address]
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[1]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
I am out of the office from 25/08/2021 14:30 until 25/08/2021 17:30.
For urgent matters, please contactMiss Jackie LAM, CO(Per)4 at 3107 2571 /
&DH/CO[Per]4.
Note: This is an automated response to your message "Re: *Restricted: Re:
Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Cycle/ Cross Over
Threshold for PCR Tests" sent on 25.08.2021 02:25:42 PM.
This is the only notification you will receive while this person is away.
